‘Protecting lives more important than blaming’: DK Shivakumar as Karnataka govt reviews security after Delhi blast

BENGALURU: Following the explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort, which left eight people dead and several others injured yesterday, the Karnataka government has stepped up its security review on Tuesday to ensure peace and public safety across the state, said Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

He also said that “protecting lives is more important than blaming”.

“We should be careful and vigilant. Whether it is a blast in Delhi or anywhere else, we should be careful,” Shivakumar said.

The Deputy CM further added, “The Karnataka government is also reviewing it, our Home Minister and Chief Minister are also reviewing the security in Karnataka. We have to be careful to maintain the peace.”

Condemning the blast, Shivakumar said, “Congress strongly condemns it. Whoever is behind it must be brought to the books.”

“Blaming is not the solution; protecting the common man and the government’s image is. We should focus on that. Instead of blaming, it’s important to safeguard the lives of the people,” Shivakumar added.

Meanwhile, investigations into the terror attack near the Red Fort are progressing rapidly. Initial findings indicate that the car explosion was not a typical suicide blast, but was instead triggered in panic by the suspect.

Security agencies have been conducting raids across multiple locations linked to terror networks and have recovered significant quantities of explosives in Faridabad, Saharanpur, Pulwama, and other areas. Investigators believe the suspect acted hastily under mounting pressure.

Sources said that the suspect did not follow the usual pattern of a suicide car bombing — he neither rammed the car into a target nor collided intentionally. The blast near the Red Fort did not follow the typical modus operandi of suicide bombers, who aim to inflict maximum damage.

Agency sources also revealed that the bomb was premature and not fully developed. The explosion did not create a crater, and no shrapnel or projectiles were found. The vehicle was still moving when the blast occurred, and the IED was not equipped to cause heavy casualties.

Due to pan-India vigilance and coordinated crackdowns, security agencies successfully averted what could have been a massive attack, the sources said.

Moreover, transferring the Delhi car blast probe to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday directed the agency to submit its investigation report at the earliest as well as instructed the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to analyse and match the samples collected from the blast site and provide a comprehensive report on the explosion without delay.

In the meeting, the Home Minister formally handed over the investigation of the case to NIA from Delhi Police, directing the anti-terror agency to conduct a thorough probe into the incident and submit a detailed report at the earliest.

He also instructed the FSL to closely examine and match the samples collected from the blast site, including material evidence and remains recovered from the charred vehicle.

The Home Minister emphasised the need for a swift and coordinated investigation to determine the nature of the explosives used and identify those behind the attack. (ANI)